Kim Hongsun’s latest film opens up with the simple premise of taking an iconic Nicolas Cage film and putting it in international waters, a veritable ‘Con Boat’ if you will. Extrapolating the premise of Con Air into the guises of Korean ex-pat criminals all being transported from the Philipines back home seems like an idea rife with possibilities. But apparently, that wasn’t enough for the filmmakers as after the inevitable bloody escape, and oh my does the blood flow in this movie, the film takes a sharp turn almost into Universal Soldier territory.
No matter how engaging the performances from the like of an unrepentant gangster played by Seo in-Guk with aplomb or the inmate with the surprising backstory in Jang Dong-yoon, the film really comes down to that major shift in tone and direction and whether you as an audience want to go with it or throw up your hands in frustration. The carnage is almost overwhelming here as the arterial spray flows unrepentantly. It’s a film that makes previous Midnight Madness films Revenge and Brawl in Cell Block 99 look almost tame in comparison.
By the time the film reaches its ridiculously over-the-top conclusion the total carnage shown on screen is staggeringly impressive in its scope. The film does feel like its 2 stories meshed into one screenplay as the change in tone is undeniable. I certainly think a raucous crowd will help sell this film much better to audiences, just don’t expect to find much logic on screen.
- Release Date: 9/17/2022
